


Just a Sore Throat

by VyxenSkye



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Dan doesn't take good care of himself, Established Relationship, F/M, Hospitalization, M/M, Medical Inaccuracies, Polyamory, Sickfic, Vomiting, egoflapbang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:35:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21666778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VyxenSkye/pseuds/VyxenSkye
Summary: It was just a bit of a tickle, just some raspy speech.Right?
Relationships: Dan Avidan/Arin Hanson, Dan Avidan/Suzy Berhow/Arin Hanson, Suzy Berhow/Arin Hanson
Comments: 7
Kudos: 73





	Just a Sore Throat

**Author's Note:**

> So.... First thing I've posted in almost 4 years and it's not even in the fandoms that I started in. And in an RPF sort of fandom to boot, something that I had never realized I was interested in. I'm hoping that by getting this out there - this being the first thing that I've really written in 4 years - I can sort of jumpstart myself, get something back. For those that know me, or even those that don't, I do apologize for taking so long, and for this probably not being what everyone wanted from me. I just hope that it's a good offering to the Grumps fandom, one that I've very quickly fallen in love with and want to be a part of. 
> 
> That being said - story is really just me wanting to get some stuff out. I love hurting my favorite characters in any fandom, and it seems as though Danny is no different. I love him to pieces, and thus... well, he gets to join in the fun. 
> 
> Most likely inaccurate medical facts and ideas, though I did some research, as well as established EgoFlapBang. Let me know what you think!

It started out rather innocently - a bit of a rasp in Danny's voice. Arin didn't pay too much mind to it - after all, his friend and lover was a singer, so rasping in his voice wasn't all that uncommon. He just assumed that he'd been doing some recording or perhaps writing, and let it go after that. Besides, he had to admit that he loved it when Dan's voice did that - made it lower and sexier and oh how he loved to listen to it. 

  
The next thing, though, gave him more of a hint as to what was going on. Dan had a tendency to neglect self-care when he was either absorbed in an album or when he was feeling unwell, but again, this wasn't super uncommon for the taller man. Between his stomach issues and his single-minded focus on things, Danny's weight fluctuated with the seasons (though _definitely_ more than Arin would have liked) as did the amount of facial hair he had. When the scruff started to turn into beard, Arin raised a brow, but again... he didn't pay much mind. He was usually clean-shaven, so Arin was rather fond of bearded Danny.

  
Looking back, he really should have been paying more attention. Between the rasp, the beard, and the leaner frame, it was pretty clear, or... it should have been. 

  
That night was rather like any other night - Dan had come over after a few hours of grumping, mentioning that he was a little tired and didn't feel like driving back to his own place over the faint ice. Arin had been more than happy to pack him into the car and take him home, and he knew that Suzy would adore having him around as well. The taller was a little subdued, but there was a smile on his features as they pulled up to the house, a touch of pink in his cheeks from what Arin assumed was the chill of winter. 

  
Suzy happily bounced up on her toes to meet Dan's bended embrace, though her cheerful features grew somber as she let her hands gently cup Dan's scruffy cheeks. "You're awful warm, Danny." she said, frown deepening a little when Danny tiredly closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. 

  
"Mmm, just tired." he replied, voice low and deep. Arin's own demeanor had shifted as he watched this interaction between his two partners, and he rubbed his hand up and down Dan's back. 

  
"You wanna go lay down while Suze and I figure out dinner?" he asked, a small croon in his voice as he spoke. Worry flared a little more when Dan did little more than nod in agreement - while his friend wasn't one to argue much, he did have a tendency to downplay his own feelings or tiredness.

  
He shared a glance with his wife, who still looked concerned, then pressed Danny forward with a hand at the small of his back. "Well come on then, babe, let's get you all cozy. Maybe we can make some nice comfort food?"

  
A soft chuckle left Dan at this, and he obediently moved forward, letting Arin's care-taking nature take over as he did. He found it adorable that the other did this, and a part of him was more than happy to allow it - it made him feel loved in a way that he hadn't really experienced before. "Sounds good to me. You might have to wake me up though - I really am beat."

  
"I can tell." Arin teased, taking Dan to his and Suzy's bedroom before leaning to press a kiss to Dan's bearded cheek. "There's been hardly any arguing." He grinned as he got a faint hum in response, then left Dan to settle down, figuring that he probably wanted a moment to himself as he got settled in comfy clothes and into bed. 

  
Suzy seemed worried when Arin returned to the kitchen, though she was already working on dinner, a frown on her features as she absently pulled out ingredients. "He's really not feeling well." she murmured as Arin came close, leaning back against his broad form when he hugged her from behind. "I think he's got a fever too."

  
"Wouldn't surprise me." Arin replied, resting his chin on the top of her head as he watched her work. "He was looking a little flushed, but I thought it might be from the cold."

  
" ** _A_** cold, more like." Suzy replied, straightening up again to continue cooking. "I am glad that he decided to stay here though - I don't think that I like the idea of him driving home like this." 

  
Her husband hummed in agreement, then moved off to get the cats fed. It didn't take long for dinner to nearly be ready, and so Arin headed towards the bedroom to see if Dan was awake. As expected, he was out, curled beneath the blankets, wild curled hair spread over the pillow. There was a slight wheezing snore as he breathed, and while Arin found it adorable, Danny only snored when he was sick. The tinge of pink had also blossomed into a full flush across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, likely not helped by the sweater, sweatpants, and blankets he'd wrapped himself up in. 

  
Arin sat carefully on the edge of the bed, a gentle hand brushing Dan's hair from his face. "Hey sweetheart." he murmured softly, smiling as Dan's nose wrinkled in response to his touch and voice. "Dinner's ready - you wanna eat something before going back to sleep? I think we ought to get some meds in you too."

  
Danny groaned a little, but opened his eyes, squinting in the light of the bedroom. "Guess." he mumbled after a moment, and Arin smiled before leaning down to kiss his forehead, feeling the warmth of his lover's skin against his lips. 

  
"Suze was right - you definitely have a fever." he murmured, helping Dan into a sitting position when the other pushed back his blankets. "Doesn't feel too bad though." He took a moment to admire the way that Danny looked draped in his sweater - the taller had his own clothes in their home, his own drawer in the dresser, even, but he had a fondness for wearing Arin's shirts and tops. Arin definitely didn't mind either - he loved seeing Dan all comfy and swallowed up in his larger clothes. 

  
Hearing Suzy calling from the kitchen, the two made their way out into the house, Dan shuffling a little on socked feet. Arin watched him go with both an adoring and careful gaze, making certain that he was fully awake and not having difficulties keeping his balance. He seemed okay, perhaps just warm and a little congested, and settled at the table just fine. 

  
Suzy repeated Arin's earlier actions, kissing Danny's forehead and brushing her fingers through his hair as she frowned. "I'll get you some meds, Leigh." she said with a faint hum, moving away. Dan mumbled a somewhat raspy thanks, warmth bursting in his heart at the use of his given name. Suzy and Arin were the only ones that used it, and tended to only when they were all feeling particularly soft and comfortable with one another. 

  
Dinner was a quiet affair, all of them just getting their food down, Dan carefully swallowing a few cold pills after he'd finished, draining a glass of water as well. Suzy fetched him a few lozenges, which he was more than happy to suck on while his lovers finished their food. Having now succumbed to the fact that he was ill, Danny submitted quietly to Arin's fussing, letting the younger man take him back to the bedroom and settle him in bed. 

  
He was already mostly asleep when Suzy came to join them after locking up the house, and let out a low, content sigh as he curled back into Arin's soft frame, enjoying the feeling of his strong arms around him. A moment later Suzy was against his front, small hand petting along his ribs and side before her arm settled across him, going still. 

  
Comfortable, warm, and safe, Dan drifted to sleep.

  
\-------------

  
The next few days passed slowly, and after the third day when Dan was blearily blinking at the screen and stifling coughs in his sweater-covered hands, Arin had to call it. "Come on, bud, we're going home." he said, turning off the recording equipment without so much as a goodbye to the lovelies. "You're sounding worse by the minute."

  
"I'm fine, I can keep going." Danny replied, though promptly discredited himself by setting off a faint coughing fit, his thin body jerking with the force of it. Arin watched this with a raised brow, petting a hand up and down Dan's back to try and help him through it. The taller sighed when he'd finished, then flapped a hand at him. "Okay, okay." 

  
In a repeat of a few days before, Arin proceeded to bundle Danny into the car, taking him home with the intent to medicate him to the gills before letting him rest. Sleep was important when one was sick, after all, and it seemed like the coughing had been keeping Dan up for a few nights - those bags under his eyes were looking fairly impressive.

  
Another sign of how truly miserable Dan was feeling was the way that he let Arin fuss over him, doing almost everything for him. Usually he'd at least protest a little, but he even held still and let Arin strip him of his jeans and get him into comfier pants. This worried Arin, though he didn't comment on it, merely getting Dan a dose of cough syrup and letting him settle down in the bedroom. 

  
Without Suzy home, it was relatively quiet in the house, and Arin puzzled for a bit over whether or not to join his lover in bed. Danny had dropped off fairly quickly once he was in bed, nasally sounding snores leaving him along with the occasional rough sounding cough. His wife wouldn't be home until late, out delivering one of her latest projects, so Arin finally decided to settle down with Dan - it was getting dark out, he could probably catch a few hours of sleep. Besides, he wanted to be close in case Dan needed him.

  
\---------

  
Barring a few coughing fits from Dan, both he and Arin slept decently for several hours. It wasn't until Suzy returned home that things started to take a turn. 

  
The petite woman wandered into the house, frowning a little as she could almost immediately hear familiar snoring from the bedroom. Seemed that Dan was here, and the tall man definitely sounded like his cold was evolving into something else. She set down her things, heading towards the bedroom, and her bit of worry blossomed into sharp concern as she heard her lover begin to cough. 

  
Hastily entering the room and flipping on the light, she found Arin sitting up, a little frazzled looking from clearly just being woken, and Dan propping himself up on his forearm, forehead nearly touching the mattress as he coughed. They were deep, chesty coughs, ones that sounded thick and painful, and Suzy joined her partners as Dan sucked in a breath between coughs. The concern began to shift to fear when the coughing didn't stop, and Suzy's eyes grew wide. 

  
"Danny." she said a little sharply, more worry in her voice than anything else. Arin met her gaze, then carefully pulled Dan upright, hoping to help him get the fit over with. As Dan's face was revealed Suzy cursed quietly - the lanky man's face was beet red with exertion, eyes squeezed shut and one hand pressed against his chest just below his collarbone. It was clear at this point that Arin was supporting most of his weight, and Suzy quickly shifted to try and pat at Danny's back, not sure how to help, but wanting to do something. 

  
"Come on, babe." Arin nearly whispered, echoing Suzy, though his patting was quickly turning into pounding. "You need to breathe."

  
Suzy's face was pale with fear as Danny sucked in a breath, making a sound eerily similar to one that she'd once heard on a commercial about whooping cough. He was trembling like a leaf, and Suzy felt relief when the coughing finally stopped, and Dan was able to suck in a few breaths, the wheeze calming as he did. 

  
"Jesus, Danny." Arin breathed, pressing his nose into curled, lank hair as he cradled the other's shaking form. "Try not to do that again."

  
"Wasn't... exactly trying." Dan replied, his voice rough and thick with the lingering coughing. He closed his eyes as Suzy lay a hand on his forehead, shivers moving through him. 

  
Pursing her lips, Suzy rose to her feet, moving towards the en-suite bathroom. "You're burning up, sweetie." she said as she returned with the thermometer, carefully taking his temperature. Danny made a face at the intrusion in his ear, but held still obediently. She frowned when it beeped, and nodded. "102.4 - I'm thinking we're going to be taking you to the doctor tomorrow. Seems like the flu to me. Did you not get your flu shot like I told you?" 

  
Danny looked a little sheepish at this, glancing away from her. "Forgot." he mumbled, and Arin chuckled a little at this. 

  
"Course you did, babe. You're so scatter-brained sometimes." Arin grinned, pressing a gentle kiss to Dan's warm temple. "You'd forget your head if it wasn't attached."

  
"Would not." Dan returned, grumping a little as he settled down a little more securely into Arin's embrace, liking the feeling of his strong body supporting him. "Just got busy."

  
Suzy smiled a little. "Either way - doctor in the morning, sleep right now. I'll grab you some cough syrup?" she said, aiming this one a little more as a question towards her husband, who confirmed with a nod that Dan could have another dose. "At least that way you can get some rest. Hopefully we can get you some antibiotics in the morning."

  
\-----------

  
Dan hated antibiotics - they made him feel almost as yucky as the illness itself. His stomach was already finicky at the best of times, and medication tended to just upset it more. Especially the strong cough syrups. He didn't want to cough up a lung, but at the same time the syrup just made him feel queasy and uncomfortable. Still, he took it because both Suzy and Arin were extremely good at puppy eyes, and he didn't feel like upsetting either of his lovers. 

  
Though he did ignore a few doses while Arin and Suzy were at work one day, having left him to nap in the bedroom while they wrapped up a few things that needed to be done. This way they could spend all the time with Dan and focusing on getting him better. 

  
Suzy had a bad feeling in her gut when they pulled up to the house, and by the paleness of Arin's knuckles where he gripped the steering wheel he was getting a similar feeling. They were both silent as they left the car and headed towards the house, and the moment that the door opened Arin wrinkled his nose at the acrid scent of stomach acid and vomit. 

  
Rushing inside, Suzy was quick to spot Danny, slender body spread across the floor in the hallway, a puddle of vomit not far from him. He was panting where he lay, cheeks flushed dark, coughs leaving him periodically. He opened fever-bright eyes as Arin carefully pulled him up and whined softly before collapsing against his side. "Ar..." he mumbled, before starting to cough. 

  
Like the coughing fit that had started all of this, Dan couldn't seem to catch his breath. Suzy's fear grew as the lanky man continued to hack and wheeze, barely getting any air between each spasm of his body. Arin's own features were starting to fill with terror, and he slapped at Dan's back again, trying to jolt his lungs out of the coughing. 

  
"We need to take him to the hospital." Suzy forced out. " _Now_." Arin glanced up at her, still worried about the coughing, still trying to help, and his face went pale at the expression on his wife's face. 

  
Danny was gasping for air as the coughing stopped, and Arin didn't waste a second as he hoisted his lover's limp, too-light body into his arms, striding after Suzy as his wife nearly ran to the car, jumping into the driver's seat. Reluctant to release him, Arin just slid into the backseat, cradling Dan against his chest as he did. He wanted to keep the other upright, hopefully ease his breathing. 

  
His leg bouncing in an anxious manner, Arin did his best to ignore the way that Dan felt like a furnace against his chest, heated forehead pressed against the side of Arin's neck. "We shouldn't have left him." he said tersely, and Suzy said nothing to dispute it, already kicking herself internally for not finding a way to do her work from home so she could stay with Danny. 

  
Another coughing fit started up, and Arin's fear started to quickly shift to panic as this one showed no sign of stopping. He did everything he could think of, pounding at Dan's back, rubbing hard at his sternum, anything that would stop the terrifying gasping and wheezing. 

  
"Shit. _Shit_. Leigh, _come on._ " he coaxed, and he cursed again, louder. "Suze, drive faster."

  
"Faster? I... I'm already speeding Arin." she protested a little, even as she pressed harder on the gas. Getting pulled over would do them no good, but...

  
Arin shook his head, face pale. " _ **Faster**_. His lips are turning blue." 

  
This caused panic to flare, and Suzy practically slammed the pedal to the floor, beyond grateful for the recent rise in temperature that had melted what little ice they'd had on the roads. She did her best to ignore what was happening in the backseat, not wanting to distract herself, though it was hard to block out the sound of her husband pleading with their partner to breathe. 

  
There was a flash of red and blue behind them, and Suzy swore, her hands trembling on the wheel, but they were so close to the hospital, and the fading wheezing from the back had her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst from her chest. Arin was swearing again, Dan slung over his arm as he tried to clear his throat of the thin bile his coughing had produced. 

  
Skidding to a stop outside the ER, Arin practically threw himself out of the car, sprinting into the hospital with Dan's long limbs dangling lifelessly as he did. Suzy was shaking so hard she could barely stand, and she could do little more than collapse next to the driver's door as she watched her husband disappear inside. 

  
It took a moment for her to realize that there was a police officer in front of her speaking, and she looked up to meet wide and concerned eyes. "I..." she stuttered out, her teeth chattering with the stress and panic. "I-I'm _sorry_ , I didn't... I couldn't stop, _he wasn't breathing...!_ "

  
"Shh, it's alright honey." the female officer soothed, crouching beside her and petting at her back. "You're fine, we understand. Come on now, let's get you inside, hmm? How about my partner finds a spot for your car while you and I go find out where your friend's gone." 

  
While it felt bizarre, Suzy allowed the woman to help her to her feet and dazedly went inside, where she found Arin pacing back and forth in the waiting area like a caged tiger. He almost immediately scooped her into his arms when he spotted her, pressing his nose into her dark hair and shaking along with her. 

  
Looking up towards the cop, he swallowed a little thickly. "I'm sorry, officer, we'll pay whatever ticket..." he began, though he stopped when the woman waved a hand. 

  
"No ticket. Clearly there was an emergency." she replied, a serious look on her features. "Did they get your friend in?"

  
Arin nodded, the motion a little jerky. "Yeah. Yeah, thanks."

  
Suzy could do little more than cling to Arin's broad frame, staring at the doors where they'd no doubt taken Danny, praying that everything would be alright.

  
\----------

  
It took what felt like forever for someone to come out and get them. In that time Arin had managed to calm himself down and give Dan's family a call, letting them know what was going on. All of them had wanted to fly out immediately, knowing that it was bad enough to warrant a hospital visit, and Arin couldn't blame them in the least. 

  
The sound of a soft-spoken woman saying _'Leigh Avidan?'_ had Arin startling out of the faint doze he'd dropped into, and he and Suzy were immediately on their feet, both looking frazzled. 

  
"Yeah, yeah, is he alright?" Arin asked breathlessly as they rushed over to her, and Suzy lay a gentle hand on her husband's arm to try and calm him. 

  
The nurse smiled at them gently, gesturing to them to come back with her. "You got him here just in time - we've had to intubate, given the state of his lungs, but we've got him on some good antibiotics and fluids to help him stay hydrated, given his difficulties with perspiration. It seems as though his flu has progressed into a mild case of pneumonia, but we've got him in time to keep it from getting worse."

  
" _Intubate_?" Suzy asked, the fear clear in her voice as she reached out to cling to Arin's hand. His grip was just as tight as hers, sweat on his palms. 

  
"It's alright - it sounds worse than it is. It's just to help him out, let his lungs rest a little and hopefully ease the coughing. He's still breathing on his own, the tube is just helping his airway stay open." the nurse calmly explained, bringing them to the room. "Hopefully the medicine settles things soon though - coughing with the tube is rather uncomfortable. We've considered sedation to help him heal, but he's currently denying that."

  
Arin felt a bit of relief move through him. "He's awake?"

  
The woman smiled. "Yes, and asking for the both of you. He's been rather insistent actually, despite the fact that he can't speak at the moment." Leaving them at the doorway, she moved on, and the two walked into the room almost holding their breath. 

  
Dan was laying there, still and pale beneath a thin blanket, tube strapped to his face and his eyes closed. Suzy couldn't help the soft, fearful sound that left her, but at it Danny's eyes fluttered open, and he smiled as best he could before reaching out a hand to them. 

  
Both were instantly at his side, and Arin leaned down to press their foreheads together while Suzy clutched at his thin hand. "I swear to _God_ , buddy..." Arin breathed, squeezing his eyes closed before pressing a kiss to the scar through Dan's eyebrow. "You ever do that again, I might just have a heart attack."

  
A soft huff left Danny at that, and Arin pulled back to see the amusement in his eyes, as well as the apology lurking there. While their lover couldn't speak, both knew that he was sorry for what had happened, even though it wasn't like he could have prevented it. "We're _never_ leaving you alone when you're sick again." Suzy said firmly, her grip on Dan's hand tight and trembling. "And you are _going_ to tell us when you're feeling ill, the _moment_ that you feel that way, not a few days later." 

  
Properly scolded, Dan nodded slightly, careful not to disturb the tube, his cheeks faintly pink with embarrassment as opposed to fever. He gently extracted his hand from Suzy's, lifting it to cup her cheek in his large palm. She leaned into it, closing her eyes and letting out a trembling sigh, finally able to relax a little, knowing that Danny was alright and on the mend. 

  
After that, Arin stopped letting things slip by, and while Dan sometimes felt like he was being smothered, he couldn't bring himself to be upset by his lovers continuously checking on him. It was a sign of how much they loved him, as well as how much he scared them with what had happened. But he did keep the promise that he'd made as soon as they'd removed the tube from his throat - he wouldn't _ever_ keep an illness like this from them again, even if it was just a sore throat. 

  
A sore throat could lead to a whole lot more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Again, let me know what you think, and know that this was written with nothing but love and respect for the people in it, as well as less than perfect knowledge of them and their lives. I can only hope that I've done such wonderful people justice in the way that I've portrayed them.


End file.
